The EU and Belarus in 2021

How is Europe planning to keep Belarus on the agenda and will it provide more political support for Belarusian civil society?

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Event organised in cooperation with the embassy of Lithuania in France, the embassy of Poland in France and the embassy of Romania in France.

Belarus has entered its sixth month marked by unprecedented protests triggered by rigged election results. The protesters are demanding an end to the Belarus dictatorship but the long-time leader Alexander Lukashenka has shown no signs of readiness to give in. Instead, he grips to power and responds with violence, police brutality and detention. Europe has reacted with sanctions but protesters and members of the opposition largely perceive its response to be insufficient. What are the chances for a regime change in Belarus in 2021? How is Europe planning to keep Belarus on the agenda and will it provide more political support for Belarusian civil society? What are Russia’s plans for Belarus in 2021?

Agenda

9.30 – 10.30: Opening remarks

  • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of Democratic Belarus, Human rights activist
  • Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France
  • Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania
  • Zbigniew Rau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland
  • Bogdan Aurescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Romania
  • Chaired by: Tara Varma, Head of the Paris Office, European Council on Foreign Relations

10.30 – 11.30: Panel discussion

  • Franak Viačorka, Journalist, Senior advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
  • Katarína Mathernová, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission
  • Marcin Przydacz, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland
  • Dan Neculăescu, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania
  • Mantas Adomėnas, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania
  • Chaired by: Nicu Popescu, Director of Wider Europe Programme, European Council on Foreign Relations